• Kim Beernaert, Chloë Haverbeke, Simon Van Belle, Luc Deliens, and Joachim Cohen.
• End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Electronic address: Kim.beernaert@vub.ac.be.
• Patient Educ Couns. 2018 Jan 1; 101 (1): 132-138.

ObjectiveWe assessed information provision and information needs about illness course, treatments, palliative care and euthanasia in cancer patients.MethodsCancer patients consulting a university hospital (N=620) filled out a questionnaire. Their cancer related data were collected through the treating oncologist. This study is performed in Belgium, where "palliative care for all" is a patient's right embedded in the law and euthanasia is possible under certain conditions.ResultsAround 80% received information about their illness course and treatments. Ten percent received information about palliative care and euthanasia. Most information about palliative care and euthanasia was given when the patient had a life expectancy of less than six months. However, a quarter of those in earlier phases in their illness trajectory, particularly those who experienced high pain, fatigue or nausea requested more information on these topics.ConclusionMany patients want more information about palliative care and euthanasia than what is currently provided, also those in an earlier than terminal phase of their disease.Practice ImplicationsHealthcare professionals should be more responsive, already from diagnosis, to the information needs about palliative care and possible end-of-life decisions. This should be patient-tailored, as some patients want more and some patients want less information.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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